The determination of how to correctly enter a holding pattern or a runway traffic pattern is one many pilots face every day. Under current regulations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has set forth a series of recommended entries to holding patterns and runway traffic patterns. While standardizing such entries, it has been said that the level of effort required to correctly enter a holding pattern requires a level of effort that is disproportionate with the importance of the task. Many pilots, even experienced ones, suffer unneeded anxiety over entry into holding patterns and runway traffic patterns. Prior to 1961, there was no FAA authorized entry procedures for entering a holding pattern or a runway traffic pattern. For instance, prior to 1961, a pilot simply flew to the designated holding fix of a holding pattern, turned in the shortest direction to the outbound radial. The shortest turn back to the fix would establish the pilot in the racetrack holding pattern. While simple, the procedure gave no standardized procedure and required that increased airspace be set aside for the designation of holding patterns to account for the variability of entry.
As the speed of aircraft increased and the airspace became more crowded, errors in entry to the patterns became magnified. In response the FAA created a set of recommended entry procedures for entering holding patterns and runway traffic patterns. The present disclosure provides a navigational assist disk system for use by pilots of all experience levels that allows the pilot to determine the advised method of entry into recommended holding patterns and runway traffic patterns. Through the use of the navigational assist disk system of the present disclosure, pilot anxiety is decreased, and flight safety is increased by allowing the pilot to direct his attention to flight matters other than the determination of the advised entry procedure at hand.